Faceoff - WR Braylon Edwards, New York Jets

Posted 8/28, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Upside - by Will Grant

It seems like a trend these last few seasons, but the reality is that if you are looking for fantasy output from the Cleveland Browns this year, the guy that you want on your team is Braylon Edwards. He's your prototype NFL WR with great size and speed as well as the ability to make the big play. He's the shining star on an offense that is struggling to find itself.

Last year, Edwards was the victim of a total offensive collapse. The Browns finished with just 2500 passing yards and only 11 passing TDs. While that wasn't the league worst in either category, it represents an example of what can happen without consistent play at QB. This year, assuming that the QB controversy between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson is resolved, there should be an overall improvement in the offense.

That can only mean good things for a guy like Edwards who had a 1250-yard, 16-TD performance just two years ago. While there isn't quite enough offensive firepower to reach those lofty totals again this season, as the #1 offensive threat, Edwards should still put up over 1000 yards and reach the end zone 7-8 times this year.

Edwards will be the clear go-to guy this season for the Browns. With Kellen Winslow in Tampa and a pair of rookie WRS in Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi on the opposite side of the ball, you can expect that Edwards will see 140-150 balls thrown to him again this year. Even a 50% reception rate will translate into big numbers for a guy who is as talented as Edwards. While he won't put up the to five fantasy numbers from two seasons ago, you can safely draft Edwards while most guys are avoiding him and see top 15 fantasy numbers from him this year. He's a great bargain in the late 4th, or early 5th round.

Downside - by Jeff Tefertiller

Fantasy owners have one question when trying to decide whether or not to draft Braylon Edwards: Which Edwards will show up in 2009? That is the BIG question. Will it be the 2007 version with Derek Anderson force-feeding him the ball, especially in the endzone? Or, will it be the 2008 Edwards that struggled as a player, and suffered due to poor quarterback play? Also, his drops and effort were called into question last season. How will that fly with the new coaching staff?

The Browns brought in a new coaching staff to turn things around. Will Mangini and company be able to jump start the anemic Cleveland offense? It is doubtful. The team has below average talent at every skill position. They are riding the aging legs of Jamal Lewis in the running game. Lewis seems to have lost a step ... or three. Yes, Jerome Harrison is a sleeper for many, but is not the type of player to keep defenses honest. The lack of a strong running game will allow opposing defenses to focus on stopping Edwards. He is the only weapon left in the passing game after the team dealt Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason. The rest of the receivers (Robiskie, Massaquoi, Furrey, and Patten) are hardly a threat at this time. The team is hopeful that one of the rookies, either Robiskie or Massaquoi, can step up and be a viable threat. But, that may be asking too much at this time. So, with no run game and no other decent option in the passing game, Edwards can expect to be the focal point of defenses.

Edwards' ADP (Average Draft Position) is WR 16, player 45 overall. He is still being drafted off of the outlier season (2007) rather than the body of his work. The quarterback situation is full of uncertainty. While Brady Quinn is expected to win the job, it is actually bad news for Edwards. Quinn is not the type of passer to force the ball into double coverage the way Derek Anderson does. Anderson was fearless in 2007. Quinn will not be that loose with the ball.

Edwards is still being taken very early considering his 2008 season. He finished as WR36, catching just 55 of the 138 pass targets for 877 yards and a whopping three touchdowns. He was the only Browns' receiver with more than 45 targets. My, oh my, did he disappoint fantasy owners last season. This was after finishing as WR3 in 2007, hauling in 80 of his 153 targets for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. Which seems more likely of a scenario for 2009?

Let's face it - the Cleveland Browns will not be very good. They will not be good on offense. The defense will be improved after the team brought Ryan in from Oakland. The only hope for Edwards' owners is that the team will be behind early and often and forced to throw. The problem is that the opposing defenses will focus on limiting Edwards. The odds are not good that he can produce up to the expectations of fantasy owners.